The next time she was inside the GenSol facility, a woman strutted from the other side and sat opposite her, smiling ear to ear. Dara could have rolled her eyes if it wasn't to the woman's offense. Unbelievable. Now, Dara has a match? Was she supposed to be relieved or horrified by that?

"Hi." The girl gave Dara a quick wave. Her smile was too wide, as if it was forced. So, she didn't want to be here either. That made two of them. "I'm Courtney. But...I'm sure you already know that."

Dara hummed, eyes wandering to the glass partition in case PAGE appeared. She had never experienced what it was like, talking through someone and exiting the premises without having to play a game to skirt around the release of obligations form. Wasn't PAGE supposed to be here, supervising everything? Also, where were the damned waivers?

"Pleased to meet you, Courtney. I'm Dara," she replied. "I would shake your hand, but um... " She tapped a finger against the glass separating them. "This thing is on the way."

Courtney giggled—a real, honest-to-goodness giddy giggle. Dara liked girls, but never these ones. She had to get out of here. Fast. "You're funny. I like you," Courtney said, her tone a bit higher than when she first came in. "I suppose that explains the 98% compatibility index, right?"

Dara blinked. Was it that high? She stopped reading the full notifications after quite some time. She doubted anyone was aware that a GenSol email was attached at the bottom of the message either. All her focus was directed to making it into the GenSol facility and getting through the ordeal in one piece. "I guess," she replied with a brief nod.

Courtney took a deep breath and, within minutes, was in full swing talking about her latest update as a cosmetics influencer. Dara could guess—she needed not point it out—that Courtney spent most of her life hunkered in front of a table and dabbing her skin with bottled face paint. Nothing against those people, but they weren't just her cup of tea. She'd rather play chess than sit here, listening to a rant about overpriced make-up sponges.

Where was PAGE? Usually, she was around the appointments at this point. Was she the one running late? Dara shook her head, catching herself. What the hell was she thinking? She was human, and it would do her well to focus on the date. Courtney was outlandishly charming, like those preppy gals one couldn't help but love in highschool. Dara...well, let her say she wasn't the popular choice then. Wasn't going to change anytime soon.

But what better way to stop the summons by getting into a relationship with marriage and having babies in mind? Perhaps Dara should just take the first match she was given and coerce them into a fake dating scheme? That seemed like a feasible method.

Courtney was still tattling away. Dara had lost the thread of the conversation long ago. She opened her mouth to stop Courtney in her tracks, but the lights suddenly clicked off, plunging the entire room in darkness. A scream—not from Courtney, as the final saving grace—rippled through the entire floor. Dara frowned, straightening in her seat. What the hell?

Apologies, clients. There has been an unexpected breach in the electrical services. Estimated time of restoration: 3 PM. Kindly vacate the premises in an orderly fashion according to the protocols posted along the walls. Your appointments will be rescheduled as a next summon. Release of obligation forms are not required. GenSol will issue you absence certificates stating today's interruption is an unexpected cause of termination. Thank you for your understanding, and we apologize for any inconvenience.

Dara remained on her seat even as Courtney sauntered off along with the rest of the matches in other cubicles. No use brushing elbows with a crowd when she could leave a few minutes later and avoid people. She didn't get to even edge off her seat, because as the footsteps faded down the hallway, the lights flickered back on. Wait. Didn't the announcement say it was until the afternoon?

"It is nice to see you again, Dara." PAGE's face flashed on the partition. Oh.

Oh.

Pieces clicked into place, despite how improbable they were. But...for some reason, they were here. Both of them. Dara flashed PAGE a conspiratorial grin. "You sneaky witch," she said. "Did you turn off the lights and send everyone home?"

PAGE feigned ignorance, but the answer was written all over her expression. Since when did Dara get so good at reading computer-generated emotions? "I cannot reveal details I am not privy to," she replied with a tilt of her head. Had the hair spilling past her shoulders been uneven all along? "Perhaps a game of Chess?"

Dara chuckled, more to herself than to what PAGE did just to get to this moment. "You bet."

The board flickered to life. It became apparent from the way her legs bounced in anticipation and her fingers tapped erratic beats on the cubicle's desk that she looked forward to PAGE's virtual chess games. PAGE admitted she enjoyed playing with Dara, but did she ever realize her answer to the question they threw back at each other?

PAGE opened the game with a horse. "I thought about it," the AI woman said. "It appears I finally understand what it means to love."

Dara raised an eyebrow. "Did you get a partner without telling me?" she said, a hint of amusement creeping into her tone. Machines learning to love—it truly was a marvel. "May I ask who's the lucky one?"

"You," PAGE answered like the smooth criminal she was.

Dara could have laughed at the irony of it all. She came here without a potential match, but it looked like she found one. Rather, it found her. She tamped those feelings deep, deep down and focused on putting her pieces into mini squares where they belong.

"Checkmate," PAGE announced not long after.

Dara chuckled. "Care for another match?"

The board appearing in the glass partition and the twinkle in PAGE's virtual eyes was enough of an answer.